Cardinals' Beanie Wells reveals he had knee surgery

Arizona Cardinals running back Beanie Wells' right knee injury was more serious than the "bruise" that it was called for the past three weeks.

Coach Ken Whisenhunt confirmed Friday that Wells underwent surgery earlier this month, and Wells later said he had meniscus damage repaired. Wells missed the first two games of the season and is expected to play Sunday against the Oakland Raiders.

Wells suffered the injury in the final preseason game, and the team did not announce that he had surgery. He was listed as questionable on the injury report before both games.

Reporters asked Whisenhunt about the knee after seeing incision marks on the knee.

"I really wasn't worried about what people knew and what people didn't know," Wells said. "I had a procedure done. I had to take some time off and I'm back from it."

Whisenhunt said it wasn't a procedure "where you're down X amount of weeks. It was a day-to-day thing. It was something he had done in college that he played a week later. It wasn't ever anything we thought was serious or that would keep him from playing on a week-to-week basis."

Wells said it's the first time he's had knee surgery. Dr. Gary Waslewski, a team orthopedic surgeon, performed the operation.

Back pain

Starting left guard Alan Faneca was added to the injury list Friday with a back problem. The injury report was released after coaches and players were available to media.

Faneca is listed as questionable. If he can't play, Rex Hadnot or Jeremy Bridges could start.

A welcome by-product

Wells' return from a knee injury probably means fewer carries for LaRod Stephens-Howling. But it will expand Stephens-Howling's role on special teams.

Stephens-Howling led the Cardinals in special teams tackles last year with 23. But with Wells out, Stephens-Howling had not been playing on kickoff and punt coverage, because the Cardinals could not afford another injury at running back.

Stephens-Howling did not have a special teams tackle in the first two games.

"LaRod is one of the best special teams players in the league," Whisenhunt said.

Warner walked through the door

Kurt Warner, quarterback turned dancer, visited Cardinals practice Friday along with his "Dancing with the Stars" partner Anna Trebunskaya and a camera crew.